


Forget The Noose

by coldfusion9797



Series: Outlaws [2]
Category: The Legend of Ben Hall (2017)
Genre: Break Up, Bushrangers, Historical Figures, M/M, Makeup, Reunion Sex, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-12-21 02:47:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21067529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coldfusion9797/pseuds/coldfusion9797
Summary: Jack has a temper. He also has a soft spot for Ben Hall.





	Forget The Noose

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the characters from the 2016 film The Legend of Ben Hall. It is in no way meant to reflect the possible actions/feelings of the real Ben Hall and John Gilbert.
> 
> Love these two, so I thought I might have a bit more of a play with them. Enjoy :)

The traps can't touch them, and that's because they're clever. They manage to stay one step ahead of the law because they can outthink them. 

Well Jack's thought this one through, and they need to head south for a bit, let the heat die down. It's the perfect plan except for one stubborn fool planted square in the middle of it.

"It won't be for forever," Jack points out. Again.

"I'm not going," Ben declares. Again. Anyone else and Jack wouldn't have asked twice. Let fools be fools, it's no concern of his. Except for this is Ben. He can't leave him behind to hang.

Jack's had enough arguing, they need to get out of here. Now. He decides it's time to play his trump card.

He hitches his horse to a stringy bark limb and steps forward into Ben's space.

Ben stares down at him, blue eyes hard as granite under those heavy brows. He's being stubborn as a mule, but Jack needs him to soften, needs him to be pliant, needs him to agree. He needs to leave this district and he needs Ben to come with him.

He reaches up, stokes his fingers across Ben's cheek, brushes his thumb across Ben's lips and sees the granite start to crack a little before he stretches up and presses his mouth to Ben's. 

Under his lips, Ben's respond. It's a signal that Ben still wants this, and he can have it, any time of the day or night, as long as they stick together. 

"Victoria. Just for a few months," Jack says while their lips still touch, still move against each other, still bind them close.

He feels Ben tense, a protest beginning to form, so he threads his arms around Ben's neck and kisses him harder, forcing him to really think about what he's claiming he'd be willing to give up.

The fire builds and Ben's lips begin to roam, working along Jack's jaw, travelling down his throat. It's perfect because it leaves Jack's mouth free to talk.

"Let's just go, Ben. The two of us. No one can outride us. We could be back by this time next year."

Ben growls but doesn't stop, Jack can feel Ben's arousal growing, his own cock starting to sit up too, and suddenly he finds himself getting too wrapped up in his own scheme to worry much about hows or whys.

Ben's growing more more insistent, tugging at the front of his pants, heaving out heavy breaths. 

Jack wants this, but he also wants to use it, but Ben it seems has other ideas.

Quick as a flash, Ben's jerking Jack's trousers down, spinning him around and bending him over a big blue gum log. There's a jangle as Ben unbuckles his belt and Jack doesn't have time to bargain before Ben is buried inside him, pounding in and out like his life depends on it.

Jack braces against it, takes the punishment like a man, waits for Ben to shoot his load. With a grunt and a few sharp thrusts, he does, and Jack's aiming to finish himself with his own hand, when he feels Ben reach around and do it for him. He finishes Jack off, breathing hot and heavy in his ear, and when Jack's done he thinks there's no way Ben can ever let all this go.

Jack hitches his strides up, rebuckles his belt and turns with a grin for Ben. He knew they were in this together.

"You just making sure you can keep up?" Jack teases. He's a better rider than Ben but riding is gonna be a bit uncomfortable for the next day or so.

"Think of it more as a goodbye kiss."

Jack's blood turns to ice.

"What?" he grinds out.

"I told you before I can't go. I have ties here."

"You mean a bloody wife that ran off on you!"

"And a son."

"Christ Ben, don't you realise what we've done! We robbed a fucking gold escort! They won't leave us alone now. You can't ever play happy families with them!"

"I know that," Ben says, voice low and careful, eyes growing stony again.

"Unbelievable," Jack spits at him, jumping onto his buckskin in a hot rage. "I give you everything she never fucking would."

"Not everything, Jack."

He dives off his horse and punches Ben in the mouth for that. 

"Fuck you! If you think she'd put up with half the shit I have, you're a bloody fool Ben Hall."

Ben dabs at the blood on his lip but doesn't hit back. That's because he knows he deserves it. 

"Jack, come on. This doesn't have to be it." Ben tries to take his hand. "You could stay too, you know." 

Jack yanks his hand away.

"Not bloody likely." He jumps back on his horse and pulls it round, kicking it hard. He's going to Victoria and Ben Hall can rot for all he cares.

\---

He grinds his heels in harder, urging his mount into a racing gallop. North. He has to get back north.

It's a reckless urge that spurs him on. 

Nine months. Nine long bloody months he's been out of New South Wales. Nine months full of brawling and moping. A dozen bar fights, every face he beat to a bloody pulp had belonged to Ben Hall. After that he'd fucked every whore from the border to Melbourne and back, but not one of them was anything like Ben. Without Ben there's an emptiness that won't go away.

He makes it up to the Weddin Mountains without getting caught, picks his way through golden wattles and olive-green cypress trees, heading back to their old hideout.

The cave is low and dusty, but it has an advantageous view. Anyone approaching across the plains is visible for miles.

There's fresh horse shit not too far off and signs that a fire has not long been used. Ben can't be far away.

Jacks waits, because that's all he can do now, he's tried life without Ben and found that it ain't worth living.

Eventually, with the sun beginning to sink towards the distant horizon, Ben appears. Deftly climbing up the rocky slope alone.

Jack's heart is pounding out of his chest, but he forces himself to stay calm, he doesn't want Ben to see how desperate he is for this reunion. 

His usual demeanour is that of the larrikin, so he plays that part now.

"Miss me?" he grins with a flourish, as Ben steps under the shale ledge.

Ben falters for a second, caught entirely off guard, but as soon as his wits catch up with his eyes, he's across the space between them and squeezing Jack to within an inch of his life.

It's funny though, how despite the pressure on his ribs he finally feels like he can breathe again.

Ben leans back enough to look him in the eye, keeps his hands firmly around Jack's waist though.

"What the hell took you so long?"

"I was angry. Had to work it out of my system before I came back."

"I dread to think..."

"Nothing nine solid months of fighting and fucking couldn't fix."

Ben lays a palm on his cheek and gives him a tender smile.

"You could have found those things here."

Then Ben's crushing their mouths together.

It's no surprise that nothing has changed between them, they always did seem to fit just right.

Ben tugs the ribbon out of Jack's hair, threads his fingers in it and pulls.

"Better not be all out of your system."

Jack grins against Ben's mouth.

"Girls aren't the same."

It's been too damn long for both of them, and Jack is more than willing when Ben goes for his trousers and bends him over.

It's fast and rough and a perfect reminder of how exhilarating life with Ben can be. There aren't many men Jack would kneel for, but Ben is a very notable exception. 

When it's done, Jack's knees are raw, and his palms are smarting. Solid rock, he thinks, isn't the best setting for this. He turns around and climbs over Ben's thighs, looking into those blue eyes. 

"What about a bed, Ben? Imagine me lying there on a soft mattress, naked, my hair smelling like lavender."

"Jack..."

"And then you," Jack says, leaning in, brushing his lips along Ben's neck, coming up to breathe the sentiment into his ear. "You could take your time, have me any way you want."

"Christ," Ben heaves, pulling Jack further into his lap, rocking them slowly together.

"How would we manage that? We'd never get in and out of town alive."

"Well," Jack says, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a couple of gold bands he took in a stick up a few months back. "As man and wife."

Ben pulls back and gives him an impressed look. He knows, like Jack does, that this will actually work. No one is looking for a lady bandit. 

Jack gives Ben a grin, picks up his hand and slips the ring on. He slides it's partner into his own finger and rests their hands side by side. Ben's staring down at the odd sight, and when he looks up Jack can see a deeper emotion behind his eyes. "I've got a pretty dress too, coffee coloured taffeta with white lace. And a matching bonnet."

A smirk slips onto Ben's face.

"Christ, I've missed you." Then he's leaning forward, crushing their mouths together again, and Jack knows that this is worth any risk, including a noose around his neck, because without it, he might as well be dead already.


End file.
